It’s back by popular demand! Taught by Berklee Assistant Professor and touring artist Ryan Scaino, this hands-on two-hour workshop is a practical introduction to using Unity for live musical performance. In this class, you’ll learn the basics of using this versatile game engine to express captivating and show-stopping performances in real time.

Workshop Outline

In this workshop, participants will receive a crash course on Unity in a live music visual context. Unity is popular with game-makers the world over, but it’s increasingly a practical tool for artists looking to build on a live music performance for others or themselves.

– Learn the benefits and pitfalls of real-time vs. timeline-based creation

–  Work with outside packages and assets in Unity and get started with the basics from installing packages, working with objects, and adding materials

– Get familiar with building interactivity from scratch and work with an input manager and node-based protocols

– Build a scene, call up objects, and add particles to design your first visualization

– Get the basics for live performance, distribution, and fielding requests from potential partners

Logistics

Dates: This workshop took place on February 28th, 2024, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 7 PM CET

Experience Level: Beginners! Previous creative experience in another field (i.e. architecture, design) is helpful but unnecessary. Working with other digital tools will be a help as well. This event is designed explicitly for adults but is fine for all-ages. This is not a class for people who want to put music into games and is focused on live performance.

Preparation: We recommend installing Unity in advance, but will walk through your setup.

Known to many by his old DJ name (Ghostdad), Ryan Sciaino’s practice centers around combining music and the moving image. He has spent more than a decade touring with DJ’s, rappers, and bands, creating impactful experiences for audiences worldwide. You can see his work annually at festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, EDC, and Ultra alongside artists including Porter Robinson, A-Trak, Anamanaguchi and Anna Lunoe. His studio work can be seen and heard via streaming platforms, social media pages, and immersive browser-based experiences.

Ryan uses a variety of time-based software along with real-time game engines and patching environments. He is passionate about art direction, performance, generative music, and art-making methods. In 2021, Ryan joined the faculty of BerkleeNYC in their Live Music Production and Design department housed in the historic Power Station studios in Manhattan.